Family
by Diary
Summary: Re-posted, possibly under a different title. Nagi knows Schwartz isn't a family. Complete.


Disclaimer: I do not own Weiss Kreuz.

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1. Family:

a. Fundamental social group in society typically consisting of one or two parents and their children.

b. Two or more people who share goals and values, have long-term commitments to one another, and reside usually in the same dwelling place.

2. All the members of a household under one roof.

3. A group of persons sharing common ancestry.

4. Lineage, especially distinguished lineage.

5. A locally independent organized crime unit, as of the Cosa Nostra.

6.

a. A group of like things; a class.

b. A group of individuals derived from a common stock: the family of human beings.

7. Biology. A taxonomic category of related organisms ranking below an order and above a genus. A family usually consists of several genera.

8. Linguistics. A group of languages descended from the same parent language, such as the Indo-European language family.

9. Mathematics. A set of functions or surfaces that can be generated by varying the parameters of a general equation.

10. Chemistry. A group of elements with similar chemical properties.

11. Chemistry. A vertical column in the periodic table of elements.

Schwartz is not a family, because Nagi knows sometimes the dictionary is wrong (he's proven it before), and in Nagi's definition, a family is something you have to be born into and have enough approval from the older members to stay in. If he were forced to say Schwartz was family and choose one or more of the definitions from the dictionary he'd choose definition 1b, 2, and 5.

Schuldig disagrees.

When Nagi first met Schuldig, the green-haired man, now a redhead, ruffled his hair and chased him around with a pillow. Schuldig has always scared Nagi. Nagi has always held contempt for the sadist who happens to have something of a dreamer's complex and an annoying way of romanticising things.

The fact Nagi would trust Schuldig with his life doesn't mean anything. It has nothing to do with the fact Schuldig only got into the plane with Crawford because there was a gun pointed at him, or the fact Schuldig says he has to protect Nagi because Nagi's family and you protect family. After all, Nagi knows Schuldig can lie, he's seen it before, and the fact Nagi would trust Schuldig with his life only means he has a certain amount of respect for the German's abilities.

Just like it also doesn't mean anything Nagi threw a fit when it was implied Schuldig wasn't loyal to Schwartz. He did it because you aren't supposed to let anyone get away with questioning Schwartz and its members. The fact Nagi happens to believe Schuldig would die before he'd betray anyone of them, and the fact Nagi could see the hurt in the German's eyes didn't factor in. Just like the fact Nagi brushed Schuldig's hair and told the telepath all about how much of a mess the man was in after Crawford was through with him didn't mean Nagi was trying to offer comfort.

Schuldig says, So, you can explain me away, but what about Brad and Farfie?

What about them?

Crawford's the leader. Nagi's future and life lie with Crawford. Ergo, it makes sense Nagi would not want to be on Crawford's bad side.

Despite what Schuldig says, Nagi doesn't crave Crawford's approval because the oracle is who Nagi wishes his real biological father was or because he hopes if he makes Crawford proud enough the man might someday hug him. Nagi tries to make Crawford proud because he doesn't want to be thrown back on the streets.

It doesn't make Nagi feel all warm and content inside when he brings home a report card full of straight A's and Crawford smiles and says, Well done. Nagi works hard to get those A's because there's a good chance Crawford won't throw out someone of proven intelligence. Just like it doesn't make Nagi so very happy when Crawford also reaches out and pets Nagi's head when he says, Well done.

The redhead seems to think Nagi knows Crawford would never throw him out. Which is ridiculous. Nagi trusts Crawford with his life because he has a respect for the man's abilities, not because Crawford didn't kill him the first time he woke the oracle up because of a nightmare.

Crawford didn't even hit him; he just made him some hot chocolate and said Nagi could sleep in his bed. The fact Crawford never touched him like others did when he was on the street didn't mean anything. In fact, all Crawford did was stroke Nagi's hair and tried to explain how American politics worked until Nagi fell asleep. It didn't make him feel happy and safe because someone was willing to help him not have nightmares, without getting angry or impatient.

So, what about Farfie?

Farfarello's insane. Nagi was more scared of him than he was Schuldig. Nagi will admit he felt sort of sorry for the Irishman.

Pity was the reason Nagi went out and bought a copy of the Satanic Bible with the money Crawford gave him. It was the reason he snuck into the cell when Farfarello was in a straightjacket and started reading. Pity was the reason.

The pity's gone, but it hasn't been replaced with affection. Just because Nagi always gets Farfarello to help him with his essays doesn't mean anything besides the fact Nagi happens to appreciate the Irishman's cynical humour and intelligence.

Nagi trusts Farfarello with his life because, like the others, he has a great respect for the abilities of the madman, not because Nagi had once actually had a curiosity towards Christianity and Farfarello encouraged it. I'm not going to kill you, Nagi, he said; in fact, it would interesting to debate you. Just promise to respect the fact that I will always hate God, and I will respect it if you decide to love Him.

Which means nothing. After all, Nagi's seen Fafarello lie. He also happens to know about what Farfarello did to his own family.

So, Schwartz is not a family.

And Crawford can ground Nagi if he wants, but there is absolutely no way Nagi is going to tell the truth about why he got suspended. He's not going to say he saw Bombay lose control and punch this idiotic kid at school. He's not going to admit he walked up to the older boy and asked why he did it. Nor is he going to tell Crawford how the sandy-haired boy laughed, bitterly, and said, You wouldn't understand, Prodigy. Weiss is my family. He was insulting them, and I can stand a lot but having my family insulted isn't one of them.

Nagi isn't going to admit he lied to the headmaster when he said he was the one who punched the boy. It was a lapse of judgment, nothing else.

Because, out of all the things Nagi's not going to admit, it's the fact, he understood Bombay and where he stood perfectly, he'll deny the most vehemently.


End file.
